Kuku Paka Recipe | Bon Appétit

Kuku paka, an East African-Indian dish traditionally made from charcoal in a flavored coconut milk sauce and served over rice, is calming, sweet, creamy, and balanced. This version that was taken from my cookbook let’s eat, is roughly the same as the traditional curry base, but features grilled chicken so you don’t have to grill if it rains, freezes, or you just don’t want it. Any chicken cut can be used: I like boned thighs here for ease and flavor, but any mix of breasts, tenders, or drumsticks can be used provided they are cut into similar sizes. Since the chicken is cooked separately from the curry base, you can also replace it with hearty vegetables to make this dish suitable for a vegetarian diet. For a plant-based diet, skip the addition of heavy cream or replace it with a creamy, barista-style milk or added coconut milk. Jalapeños work in place of the Thai chilies, although you might want to adjust the amount based on your seasoning tolerance – my rule of thumb is: one medium jalapeño for every two Thai chilies. And a pinch of cayenne pepper will work in place of the Kashmiri chili powder. – Zaynab Issa

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